One of the critical features of the library media profession has been its traditionally vigorous defense of intellectual freedom as rooted and defined in the ALA Code of Ethics. Point II in the ALA Code of Ethics deals with Intellectual Freedom and Point IV with Intellectual Property Rights. Both are critical to the maintenance of the individual's right to read. Recent postings on the school library electronic discussion list, LM_NET, indicate that this issue has not gone away when a librarian asked for suggestions on how to deal with the naked boy in Maurice Sendak's book, In The Night Kitchen. The original poster's response to the list that "the consensus [from LM_NET members] seems to be to draw either a diaper or shorts on the boy" caused quite a bit of discussion about the ethics of censorship vs. the problems of librarians who must live in the real world and deal with their local community standards. That librarians would publicly post their solution to avoiding a potential censorship problem by suggesting that it is acceptable to rip out pages, go after an offending illustration with a Sharpie marker, or simply glue pages together indicates a need to look at the profession's current outreach on this issue. One would assume that the profession's stance on intellectual freedom would make a librarian at least take these actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and current press articles indicate that books at the elementary level have been particularly under attack.

One of the critical features of the library media profession has been its traditionally vigorous defense of intellectual freedom as rooted and defined in the ALA Code of Ethics. Point II in the ALA Code of Ethics deals with Intellectual Freedom and Point IV with Intellectual Property Rights. Both are critical to the maintenance of the individual's right to read. Recent postings on the school library electronic discussion list, LM_NET, indicate that this issue has not gone away when a librarian asked for suggestions on how to deal with the naked boy in Maurice Sendak's book, In The Night Kitchen. The original poster's response to the list that "the consensus [from LM_NET members] seems to be to draw either a diaper or shorts on the boy" caused quite a bit of discussion about the ethics of censorship vs. the problems of librarians who must live in the real world and deal with their local community standards. That librarians would publicly post their solution to avoiding a potential censorship problem by suggesting that it is acceptable to rip out pages, go after an offending illustration with a Sharpie marker, or simply glue pages together indicates a need to look at the profession's current outreach on this issue. One would assume that the profession's stance on intellectual freedom would make a librarian at least take these actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and current press articles indicate that books at the elementary level have been particularly under attack.

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'''Expected Outcomes'''

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== '''Expected Outcomes''' ==

AASL would like for an Emerging Leader team to evaluate current intellectual freedom brochures and resource guides specifically aimed at the school library media specialist with particular emphasis on the resources for elementary school LMSs. This groups' focus is to define intellectual freedom as it pertains to school library selection policy, suggest methods to improve the communication and education of intellectual freedom concepts and intellectual property rights, provide links to policies addressing the review of instructional materials, and develop new web-based materials that would specifically address the current climate of intellectual freedom in the schools.

AASL would like for an Emerging Leader team to evaluate current intellectual freedom brochures and resource guides specifically aimed at the school library media specialist with particular emphasis on the resources for elementary school LMSs. This groups' focus is to define intellectual freedom as it pertains to school library selection policy, suggest methods to improve the communication and education of intellectual freedom concepts and intellectual property rights, provide links to policies addressing the review of instructional materials, and develop new web-based materials that would specifically address the current climate of intellectual freedom in the schools.

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'''Our Project Plan 1/11/08'''

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== '''Project Plan 1/11/08''' ==

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'''The key elements or components of the project:'''

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• [http://wikis.ala.org/emergingleaders/index.php/Intellectual Freedom Research Gather available information about Intellectual Freedom with regard to school libraries]

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== '''Key project elements/components''' ==

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• [http://wikis.ala.org/emergingleaders/index.php/User:IntellectualFreedomResearch Gather available information about Intellectual Freedom with regard to school libraries] - This linked page will serve as our draft WIKI - a project product.

• How do we codify Intellectual Freedom with regards to selection policy

• How do we codify Intellectual Freedom with regards to selection policy

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• Is there a difference between what ALA is saying and what AASL is saying?

• Is there a difference between what ALA is saying and what AASL is saying?

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== '''Goals''' ==

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'''The goals of the project:'''

• Create a sharing forum for best practices, a wiki(?) that allows for evolving needs that will improve communication and provide links

• Create a sharing forum for best practices, a wiki(?) that allows for evolving needs that will improve communication and provide links

• A definition of "Intellectual Freedom" (See draft IF WIKI) and summary of the group's work: [http://wikis.ala.org/emergingleaders/images/6/6c/Emerging_Leaders_Findings.pdf EL Group C Summary of Findings (PDF)]

• A physical “take away” with the information: brochure/business card/postcard

• A physical “take away” with the information: brochure/business card/postcard

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o Communicate information to state organization(s)

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• Communicate information to state organization(s)

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== '''Specifications for each deliverable & the criteria customers are likely to use to determine their satisfaction with a deliverable'''==

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'''The specifications for each deliverable & the criteria customers are likely to use to determine their satisfaction with a deliverable:'''

• Wiki: ease of use, clarity, is information relevant & accurate

• Wiki: ease of use, clarity, is information relevant & accurate

• Take Away: the size is portable & reproducible

• Take Away: the size is portable & reproducible

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o A downloadable brochure

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• A downloadable brochure

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'''List the activities or steps to follow to achieve the goals and produce the deliverables.'''

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== '''Activities or steps to follow to achieve the goals and produce the deliverables.''' ==

• Research on our own

• Research on our own

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• Create 2 workspaces on the wiki: one for our discussion, one mock-up

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• Create 2 workspaces on the wiki: one for our discussion (click the "discussion" tab at the top of this page), and one mock IF WIKI

Description

One of the critical features of the library media profession has been its traditionally vigorous defense of intellectual freedom as rooted and defined in the ALA Code of Ethics. Point II in the ALA Code of Ethics deals with Intellectual Freedom and Point IV with Intellectual Property Rights. Both are critical to the maintenance of the individual's right to read. Recent postings on the school library electronic discussion list, LM_NET, indicate that this issue has not gone away when a librarian asked for suggestions on how to deal with the naked boy in Maurice Sendak's book, In The Night Kitchen. The original poster's response to the list that "the consensus [from LM_NET members] seems to be to draw either a diaper or shorts on the boy" caused quite a bit of discussion about the ethics of censorship vs. the problems of librarians who must live in the real world and deal with their local community standards. That librarians would publicly post their solution to avoiding a potential censorship problem by suggesting that it is acceptable to rip out pages, go after an offending illustration with a Sharpie marker, or simply glue pages together indicates a need to look at the profession's current outreach on this issue. One would assume that the profession's stance on intellectual freedom would make a librarian at least take these actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and actions in private and not defiantly write about them on a public forum. Postings and current press articles indicate that books at the elementary level have been particularly under attack.

Expected Outcomes

AASL would like for an Emerging Leader team to evaluate current intellectual freedom brochures and resource guides specifically aimed at the school library media specialist with particular emphasis on the resources for elementary school LMSs. This groups' focus is to define intellectual freedom as it pertains to school library selection policy, suggest methods to improve the communication and education of intellectual freedom concepts and intellectual property rights, provide links to policies addressing the review of instructional materials, and develop new web-based materials that would specifically address the current climate of intellectual freedom in the schools.